1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an expansion unit, portable data processing apparatus and imaging device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent advances in portable information processing apparatuses such as laptop-type personal computers (hereinafter PCs) have made it possible to send photographic data via e-mail using such PCs. In addition, the number of types of recording media has also increased and now varies from floppy disks to CD-ROMs, optical disks and so forth.
In order to provide these enhanced capabilities and accommodate this expanding array of recording media, laptop PCs have come to be provided with one or more expansion slots and/or a concave expansion bay capable of accommodating detachable accessories including, but not limited to, floppy disk drives, expansion CD-ROM drives, expansion magneto-optic disk drives and the like. Consumers are thus able to purchase add-on accessories as discrete modules or expansion units which can then be inserted into the expansion bay and expansion slots of the PC.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent App. No. 8-9215 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent App. No. 7-322117 show a charge-coupled device (hereinafter CCD) imaging device provided on an edge of a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card or PC card. This CCD imaging device PC card is operated by inserting the PC card into a slot in the portable information processing apparatus (hereinafter apparatus) provided for that purpose.
In addition, Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3011657 shows a tower-type desktop PC provided with a bay on the front of the PC for mounting an electronic imaging device unit. The electronic imaging device is inserted into the bay in such a way so as to be supportedly extendible from the front of the apparatus.
Additional commercially available configurations exist as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
For example, FIG. 1 shows a commercially available laptop-type PC 10. The laptop PC 10 shown in the drawing has a CCD imaging device 11. The CCD imaging device 11 is provided on a display member 12, near a top edge of a liquid crystal display panel 13.
FIG. 2 shows another example of a commercially available laptop-type PC 20. The laptop PC 20 shown in the drawing has a CCD imaging device unit 23 having a CCD imaging device 21 and a connector 22, the CCD imaging device unit 23 being detachably mounted on approximately a right rear half of the PC main unit 24.
FIG. 3 shows yet another example of a commercially available laptop-type PC 30. The laptop PC 30 shown in the drawing has a CCD imaging device unit 32 that includes a CCD imaging device 31, the imaging device unit 32 being detachably connected to a terminal on a central part of a rear surface of a PC main unit 33. The CCD imaging device unit 32 thus removed is then supported on a tripod not shown in the drawing.
However, each of these examples has disadvantages.
For example, in the structure disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent App. No. 8-9215 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent App. No. 7-322117, when the PC card is inserted into the apparatus the CCD imaging device protrudes from a side of the apparatus, making it difficult to carry the apparatus comfortably. Also, disconnecting the CCD imaging device is not a practical solution because once disconnected from the apparatus the CCD imaging device cannot be used.
Moreover, the structure disclosed in Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3011657 is not portable, and the electronic imaging device unit is fixedly mounted to the PC bay and cannot be detached therefrom. Also, since the electronic imaging device cannot be detached from the electronic imaging device unit the use of the imaging device is severely limited.
Additional problems also beset the above-described conventional structures. For example, with the laptop PC 10 shown in FIG. 1 the CCD imaging device 11 can only be tilted; the lens cannot, for example, be swung laterally so as to pan the imaging device. Accordingly, a person using the CCD imaging device 11 must reposition the entire laptop PC 10 in order to photograph a person next to the person using the imaging device, which is inconvenient.
Moreover, because the CCD imaging device 11 is positioned on the display member 12 the display member 12 must be specially designed to accommodate the CCD imaging device 11, placing limitations on the size of the liquid crystal display. In addition, when the display member 12 is closed an operator's fingers can come into contact with and thereby damage the lens of the CCD imaging device 11. A further disadvantage is that the positioning of the CCD imaging device 11 on the display member 12 complicates repair of the CCD imaging device 11.
The laptop PC 20 shown in FIG. 2 also has disadvantages. As with the laptop PC 10 shown in FIG. 1, the CCD imaging device 21 can only be tilted; it cannot be panned. Accordingly, as with the laptop PC 10 shown in FIG. 1, a person using the CCD imaging device 11 must rearrange the position of the entire laptop PC 10 in order to photograph a person next to the person using the imaging device, which is inconvenient.
Additionally, the display member 25 is attached to the PC main unit 24 via a hinge 26 which is specially designed to take up only approximately the left half of the hinge area as shown in FIG. 2. As a result the display member is supported along only approximately half its length, which is unstable and therefore undesirable.
Further, with the laptop PC 30 shown in FIG. 3, as with the laptop PC 10 shown in FIG. 1, the CCD imaging device 31 can only be tilted and not panned. Accordingly, as described above, a person using the CCD imaging device 11 must reposition the entire laptop PC 10 in order to photograph a person next to the person using the imaging device, which is inconvenient.
In addition, the position of the CCD imaging device unit 32 is such that a long narrow groove 36 must be cut in the display member 35 that is linked with the PC main unit 33 via a hinge 34 along the length of the CCD imaging device unit 32, which severely limits the size of the liquid crystal display panel 37.
Moreover, the laptop PCs 10, 20 and 30 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, all presuppose that the CCD imaging device is to be integrally disposed on the PC, which is a waste of equipment and space as far as those operators who essentially use the CCD imaging device seldom or never are concerned. In addition, even those PC operators who do make active use of the CCD imaging device so provided sometimes do not need to use the imaging device. At those times, the inclusion of the imaging device is also an unnecessary expenditure of equipment and space.